To be fully HUMAN — A Daily Reflection

 

Mark 9:14-23 NIV

 

A man had brought his son to Jesus to be healed.  The boy was possessed by a demon that not only made him mute, but that also threw the boy into convulsions, sometimes threatening his life.  The man had asked Jesus’ disciples to cast the demon out, but they had been unable to do it.  So the man asked Jesus, "If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us."

 

From reading this passage, it’s obvious that Jesus was getting a little frustrated, not only with this man, but also with his disciples.  He had just said to the disciples, "How long must I put up with you?  Where is your faith?"  Then He is confronted by this man.  I can just see Him throwing up his hands in frustration when He said "If you can!"  He probably wanted to say, "How many times do I have to prove myself to you people before you’ll believe?  How many miracles do I have to do?"

 

You and I have the same kind of faith as this man.  We say we know Jesus can do anything, but do we really believe it?  When it comes down to our own particular set of circumstances, we figure that must be the exception to the rule, right?

 

For example, you’ve been through a bad situation with a job, followed by several more disastrous jobs.  As you look back over this mess, you realize that you keep getting into the same situation over and over again.  You have several courses of action… you can keep up the bad work, for one.  Or you can decide that all people in the world are screwy, so you will never have anything to do with them again, and instead of working, you can go be a street bum.  Or you can buy twenty self-help books on being successful and dealing with co-workers and bosses, then memorize them.  Or you can go to God’s Word and to Him in prayer, and ask that you be healed of whatever it is in you that is causing or contributing to your history of bad work situations.

 

Obviously, the last course of action is the most productive – and the only one that will cure the problem once and for all.  All you have to do is believe – really believe deep within your heart – that He will heal you… that He will do what He says… that He will help you learn to have good working relationships with others, relationships that glorify Him… that ALL things are possible to him who believes.